Mobile-radio network with debit accounts

Claim 1

A mobile-radio network comprising: a mobile switching center for receiving incoming calls from mobile-radio subscribers, said mobile switching center including means responsive to said incoming calls for selecting incoming calls from mobile-radio subscribers having a predetermined subscriber profile, the predetermined subscriber profile indicating that an incoming call is from a respective mobile-radio subscriber having a debit account, and network elements of an intelligent network connected to said mobile switching center, said mobile switching center forwarding the selected incoming calls to said network elements, said network elements including: means for storing, for at least one respective mobile-radio subscriber, a debit account having a credit balance indicative of an amount of credit, and means responsive to a selected incoming call from the respective mobile-radio subscriber; for accessing the debit account of the respective mobile-radio subscriber, for comparing the credit balance in the debit account of the respective mobile-radio subscriber with a first predetermined minimum balance, for establishing a connection for the selected incoming call from the respective mobile-radio subscriber if the credit balance in the debit account of the respective mobile-radio subscriber exceeds said predetermined minimum balance, for, once the connection is established, charging the debit account of the respective mobile-radio subscriber by consecutively deducting a unit fee, and for releasing the connection for the selected incoming call if the debit account of the respective mobile radio subscriber shows no credit balance.

Claim 7

A method of establishing a connection and charging incoming calls in a mobile-radio network comprising a mobile switching center and network elements of an intelligent network, the network elements including a service switching point which is connected to or incorporated in the mobile switching center and a service control point which is connected to the service switching point, the method comprising the following steps: storing in the service control point, for at least one respective mobile-radio subscriber, a debit account having a credit balance indicative of an amount of credit; receiving incoming calls from mobile-radio subscribers at the mobile switching center; selecting incoming calls that have a predetermined subscriber profile, the predetermined subscriber profile indicating that an incoming call is from a respective mobile-radio subscriber having a debit account; forwarding the selected calls to the service switching point; accessing the debit account of the respective mobile-radio subscriber for each selected incoming call; comparing the credit balance in the debit account of the respective mobile-radio subscriber to a predetermined minimum balance; establishing a connection for a selected incoming call if the debit account of the respective mobile-radio subscriber shows a credit balance greater than the predetermined minimum balance; once a connection is established, charging for the selected incoming call by consecutively deducting a predetermined unit fee from the debit account of the respective mobile radio subscriber; and releasing the connection for the selected incoming call if the debit account of the respective mobile radio subscriber shows no credit balance.

Claim 8

A method of establishing a connection and charging incoming calls in a mobile-radio network comprising a mobile switching center and network elements of an intelligent network, the network elements including a service switching point which is connected to or incorporated in the mobile switching center and a service control point which is connected to the service switching point, the method comprising the following steps: storing in the service control point, for at least one respective mobile-radio subscriber, a debit account having a credit balance indicative of an amount of credit; receiving incoming calls from mobile-radio subscribers at the mobile switching center; selecting incoming calls that have a predetermined subscriber profile, the predetermined subscriber profile indicating that an incoming call is from a respective mobile-radio subscriber having a debit account; forwarding the selected calls to the service switching point; accessing the debit account of the respective mobile-radio subscriber for each selected incoming call; comparing the credit balance in the debit account of the respective mobile-radio subscriber to a predetermined minimum balance; establishing a connection for a selected incoming call if the debit account of the respective mobile-radio subscriber shows a credit balance greater than the predetermined minimum balance; once a connection is established, charging for the selected incoming call by consecutively deducting a predetermined unit fee from the debit account of the respective mobile radio subscriber; and releasing the connection for the selected incoming call if the debit account of the respective mobile radio subscriber shows no credit balance.